By: James Bates I remember hearing the song by Three Dog Night, “One Is the Loneliest Number,” and thinking, Yeah, that’s me. All by myself. No one cares. Now I see that thought for what it really was, a cry…
By: Richard C Lin Legend has it that Dad was once a very different person. San Bo (third paternal elder uncle) shares tales of Dad as a skinny and mischievous scamp. Like the mythical Monkey King Sun Wukong, he would…
By: Dexter Alex Being locked away was the best part of being alive these days, I was kept sedated and restrained so I wouldn’t take my own life. I had tried, fractured my skull in the process but somehow they…
By: Alan Swyer Waking up in the morning, which had long been a joy for Ed Rubin, turned instead into a source of dread once Valerie, along with two other junior account execs, lost her job at an ad agency….
By: John E.C. for R.N. The reason? To heighten, within the populace, the fear and hatred of the perceived enemy’s threat, in order to increase the state’s authoritarian grip. A straight up and down Black Op job, of course….
By Barbara Dolan “Do ships that pass in the night eat together?” Walking down to the dorm cafeteria, Bethany heard someone say something, but assuming they weren’t talking to her, she just kept walking and entered the cafeteria….
By: Edward Wells The river comes at Penthelm, in its depression, from the southeast. Before reaching the town, the river curves to the northeast around the natural levy of the ridge. It circles the town, back toward the southeast,…
By: Sterling Warner Leo seemed destined to become a body modification master. His peculiar interest in appearance started when he noticed his mother developing skin tags. “Hey mom,” Leo announced one afternoon. “After a bit of research, I bought some…
By: Carl Papa Palmer In my sister-in-law’s bathroom, sometime after midnight, unable to locate her light switch, I leave the door open for some visibility from a night lamp in the hall. Washing my hands and wishing I had my…
By: Charis Negley “Kit, come here, quick! Look!” Kit rushed to the window to find his girlfriend with her hands plastered to the glass like a little child. He removed her hands from the window, holding them in…